If you had met me years ago, you would have found me behind a computer screen. I worked as a web and graphic designer, spending long days on layouts, typography, and client projects. It was creative work, but something was missing. Away from the office, I carried a camera. What started as a hobby slowly turned into something much bigger, leading me toward my life today as a wildlife photographer with a focus on my collection of black and white prints.
The early pull of nature
Even as a child, I was fascinated by animals. That fascination never left me, even as I built a career in design. Photography was at first a release, a way to step away from the screen and into nature. I would take my camera out on weekends and during holidays, exploring landscapes and observing wildlife.
The turning point came when I travelled to Africa for the first time. Seeing lions, elephants, and giraffes in the wild was an experience that no photograph or documentary could have prepared me for. Holding a camera in those moments felt natural. It was as though I had found what I was meant to do.
Finding a language in black and white
At the beginning, like most people, I photographed in colour. Over time, though, I realised that colour often distracted me from what I wanted to capture. Black and white brought out something different. It highlighted form, movement, and expression. It gave me a way to show the character of an animal without anything unnecessary.
That discovery shaped the direction of my photography. Today, black and white is my visual language. It feels timeless and direct, and it allows me to focus on what matters most in each frame.
Leaving design behind
Leaving a steady design career was not easy. It meant giving up security for something uncertain. But step by step, I built confidence. I sold my first prints, gained recognition in competitions, and began to see photography as more than a passion. Each decision carried me further from the screen and closer to the wild.
It was not a single leap but a gradual shift. Looking back now, I see how the skills from my design years stayed with me. Attention to detail, balance, and composition are just as important in photography as they are in graphic design. The difference is that instead of building something pixel by pixel, I am working with light, landscape, and living beings.
A new chapter
Today, my life is shaped by wildlife and the pursuit of moments that can be shared through fine art prints. From the white horses of the Camargue to the great elephants of Amboseli, my work has taken me into places where patience and respect for nature are essential.
This September, Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema will present Horses of Salt and Wind, my exhibition devoted to the Camargue horses. It feels like another step in the journey that began all those years ago in front of a computer screen.
Looking back
My journey from design to photography has been one of following curiosity and listening to what felt true. It has been about trading comfort for challenge, and in doing so finding a life that feels authentic.
The move from pixels to prints has not only given me a career but a deeper way of living. Out in the wild, waiting for the right moment, I feel a connection that no screen could ever give me. That is why I left design behind and why I continue to tell stories through photography.
Johan Siggesson – www.johansiggesson.com
